henderson



No. 6|9,020. Patented Feb. 7-;1899L c. HENDERSON.

PROCESS OF PURIFYING AND REFINING OILS.

(Application filed Aug. 25, 1897.)

(No Model.)-

AY/M; %W@@ W UNITED STATES JOHN C. HENDERSON,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PROCESS OF PURlFYlNG AND REFINING OILS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.'619,020, dated February 7, 1899.

Application filed August 25, 1897. Serial No. 649,450. (No specimens.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. HENDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Processes or Methods of Separating, Extracting,and Purifying Oils;

and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. p

This invention relates to a new and useful process or method of refining and purifying oils and similar material; and it consists, essentially, in introducing the oil to be treated into a suitable receptacle upon a predetermined quantity of water. The atmosphere above the oil is then excluded by means of steam to facilitate the withdrawal of the volatile and essential oils, and steam is then introduced into the receptacle below the water, and as soon as the temperature of the oil is the same as that of the water ebullition commences by reason of the steam from the water forcing its way up through the oil, thus washing out and mixing the albuminoids and or-- ganic matter with the water and forming a stratum of emulsion just below the oil, and the vaporor steam passes on and through the oil, thereby volatilizing and carrying off in suspension the volatile and essential oil, as well as other extractable substances; and with these and other objects in View the invention consists of the improved process or method hereinafter more fully described in the specification and pointed out in the appended claims.

I have selected the apparatus hereinafter mentioned as an exemplification of a type of apparatus adapted to carryout my improved process, but do not confine myself to the specific apparatus herein shown and described.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my improved apparatus, parts being shownin elevation; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same.

Similar characters of reference designate like parts throughout both views.

Referring to the drawings the reference character 1 indicates a tank of any suitable material, preferably shallow and having a concaved or inclined bottom 2, sloping in all directions toward a central opening 3, provided with a discharge or drain pipe 4, having a stop-valve or similar device 5, adapted to be used to draw off the contents of the tank when necessary, and the peculiar formation of the bottom 2 causes the contents of the tank to drain off toward the drain-pipe 4 when washing out the tank, and the top 6 of the tank is outwardly inclined or sloped toward the pipe 7, secured around the central opening 8 in the top 6, and the free end of the pipe 7 is preferably closed. Communicating with one side thereof is an outlet-pipe 9, the free end of which is located within a doodlesack or drain-chamber 10, provided at its lower end with a valve-controlled outlet or drain pipe 11, through which is drawn OE, With or without the condensed Water, the higher oils and light volatile matter deposited in the doodlesack 10, and to determine the amount of such matter within the doodlesack a gage 12 is preferably connected therewith,

as shown in the drawings.

A valve-controlled pipe 13 communicates with the upper end of the doodlesack 10 and is suitably connected with a condenser or vacuu m-pu mp, (not shown,) and communicating with the pipe 13, adjacent to the doodlesack 10, is a valve-controlled outlet 14: to the atmosphere.

Suitably disposed within the lower portion of the tank 1 is a perforated steam coil or coils 15 of any preferred construction, provided with valve controlled steam supply pipes 16, communicating with a source of supply, (not shown,) and the tank 1 is also provided with a steam-gage 17 and a vacuumgage 18 of any preferred construction, and communicating with the upper portion of the tank is a steam-jet 19, having connections with a source of supply (not shown) adapted to admit steam to the upper portion of the tank and drive out the air therein and to prevent the forming of air-pockets on top while the vapor is going off, and communicating with the lower portion of the tank, above the steam-coils 15, is a valvecontrolled water-inlet 20, by means of which water is introduced into the tank to any desired height, preferably to that shown by heavy dotted lines about on a level with said inlet, and above the waterinlet 20 is an oil-inlet 21, also communicating with the tank,and through this last-mention ed inlet the oil or other material to be treated is introduced into the tank above the water, preferably to the height indicated by the upper dotted lines upon the drawings. The tank 1 is also supplied with outlets 22 and 23, provided with valves, the former being for extracts and the latter for the purified material, and with thermometers or similar devices 24C to ascertain the temperature or condition of the contents of the tank;

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the following explanation thereof.

This apparatus is principally for the separation and extraction of the albuminoids, resins, gums, mucilaginous matter, volatile oils from vegetable oils, and the heavier and denser, as well as the lighter, volatile matter from other oils. The valves in the pipes 13, 4,

11,22, and 23 are first closed and the valve in i the pipe 14is opened. Then water is admitted through the inlet 20 untilthe water-line in the tank has reached the desired height, when the supply is cut off, and the oil to be treated is introduced into the tank above the Water through the inlet 21 until it stands at the height desired, whereupon the supply is then cut off, and a jet of steam is injected into the upper portion of the tank just sufficient to drive out the air without forming a vacuum or pressure, washing out of the oils by means of water, albuminoids, gummy, resinous, and mucilaginous matter under atmospheric pressure. Then steam is admitted to the perforated-coils 15 for the length of time the case may require, when the steam is shut 0% from the coils, and the valve in the pipe 14: is then closed and the valve in the pipe 13 is opened, whereupon the steam-coil 1.5 is again put in operation for the time the case may require, when the valve in the pipe 13 is closed and steam is admitted through the jet 19 in small quantities to drive off the air in the upper portion of the tank, and the purified oil may then be drawn 03 through the pipe 23, and the albuminous matter may be removed through the pipe 22. The level to draw off the albuminous matter is controlled by the admission of water through the inlet 20 or by drawing it off through the drain-pipe 4. When the operation has been completed, the wash-water is then discharged through the drain-pipe 4: into a sewer or drain-tank, (not shown,) and the apparatus is washed out with water and steam to prepare it for another operation. The higher oils and light volatile matter are deposited in the doodlesack 10, from whence they may be drawn oif with or without the condensed water through the pipe 11. When su fficiently refined, the lower stratum of oil and alb uminoid is drawn oif to a receptacle by suitable means, and the refined oil is removed to a receiver by any preferred means.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described process for refining and purifying oils and similar material, which consists in first driving off the air by means of steam introduced above the oil, then washing all albuminous gummy, resinous and mucilaginous matter from the oil with water at about atmospheric pressure in a closed receptacle.

2. The herein-described process for refining and purifying oils or similar material which consists in first driving off the air by means of steam introduced above the oil, then washing all albuminous and similar matter from the oil with Water at about atmospheric pressure in a closed receptacle and washing out of the oil all of the heavier volatile matters by means of heat applied to the water below the oil. A

3. The herein-described process for refining and purifying oils or similar material which consists in first driving OK the air by means of steam introduced above the oil, then washing all albuminous and similar matter from the oil with water at about atmospheric pressure in a closed receptacle, and washing out of the oil all of the heavier volatile matters by means of steam applied to the water below the oil.

4. The herein-described process for separating, extracting and purifying oils or similar material which consists in first driving ofi the air by means of steam introduced above the oil, then washing all albuminous and similar matter from the oil with water at about atmospheric pressure in a closed receptacle, washing out of the oil all of the heavier volatile matters by means of heat applied to the water below the oil, and eliminating the high volatile matter below atmospheric pressure and extracting the same.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN C. HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

JAMES R. ROGERS, D. O. KELSEY. 

